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Lesson Plan : The Fifty Nifty States
| Teacher Name: | Arley Fowler |
Grade: | Grade 2 |
Subject: | Social Studies |
Topic: | The United States |
Content: | The fifty states. Vocabulary: compass (North, South, East, and West), bordering, the names of the States, original colonies, state bird, Pledge of Allegiance, the Fourth of July, and the American flag. |
Goals: | The learner will be able to locate the fifty states on a map while using a guide to help. The learner will also be able to locate where specific states are by using the correct vocabulary (North, South, East, and West). TEKS: (5) Geography. The student uses simple geographic tools such as maps, globes, and photographs. The student uses simple geographic tools such as maps, globes, and photographs. The student is expected to: (A) Use symbols, find locations, and determine directions on maps and globes. (B) Draw maps to show places and routes. (6) Geography. The student understands the locations and characteristics of places and regions. The student is expected to: (A) Locate the community, Texas, the United States, and selected countries on maps and globes. (B) Compare information from different sources about places and regions. |
Objectives: | The learner will be able to locate the fifty states on a map while using a guide to help. The learner will also be able to locate where specific states are by using the correct vocabulary (North, South, East, and West). The learner will be able to discuss the importance of the American flag and the symbolism of the stars and stripes. |
Materials: | Overhead projector, individual US maps, colors, Kagan worksheet, map transparency, “Happy Birthday America”, America is…”, white erase board, “The Fifty Nifty States” CD. |
Introduction: | While I am setting up the over-head projector and the students are getting ready for the lesson by getting their colors, the student of the week will be passing out individual laminated maps of the United States. In the meantime, I will have the song, “Fifty Nifty States” by Red Buryl playing in the background. This will allow the students to start recognizing the name of the states as well as get them interested and excited for the lesson because of the catchy music. I will begin by doing a KWL chart to find out what they know about the states as well as what they want to know |
Development: | Ask the students where they have been in the United States. This will get them excited and interested in the states because they will be able to relate to something we are talking about. As the student says the state, fill in the transparency so that the students will be able to see first hand how much the class has traveled and experienced other states. |
Practice: | I will hand out the Kagan worksheet because on the back of it is a blank map that I will have the students color and label together with me. This will keep all of the students on the same page and will give the students the opportunity to read over and recognize the states if they are waiting. I will say the state as well as the abbreviation, but the students are only required to write the abbreviations |
Accommodations: | The accommodations that I will have for the students will be the compass on the board, the computers, the dictionaries and atlases, and the poster maps. I will also have a separate sheet with the states and abbreviations listed on them for those students who are unable to see well. |
Checking For Understanding: | To make sure that the students understand the lesson, I will have the students break up into 4 teams (they are already in 4 groups of desks). Each group will have to come up with 5 states: southern, northern, eastern, or western depending on what I assign that group. One student from each group will come to the board and write their 5 states next to the appropriate compass direction (N, S, E, or W). |
Closure: | Finish the KWL chart to find out what the student learned. Read the books, “Happy Birthday America” and “America Is…” and discuss the history of the United States and the importance of the flag and it’s symbols. |
Evaluation: | Have the students point to different states on their maps (Texas, California, Florida, New York). Make sure to pay close attention to the students’ fingers as they point to the states to make sure they are correct. |
Teacher Reflections: | I thought that this lesson went very well!! The students were interested and engaged the entire time. I think the best part of the lesson was when I had them get into groups of 3 and work together over the difficult worksheet. This created good team work and communication. Some groups split the work up, some worked on each question together, and some decided to check answers together at the end. Either way, they were working cooperatively together. Coloring in the transparency of where the students have traveled to was a good idea. They were so excited to contribute and it was a great opportunity to use as a learning experience as well. For instance, one girl said that she has been to Miami and I was able to correct her without pointing it out that she was wrong. By simply saying that she has been to the state of Florida, she understood that Miami was a city in Florida. The only thing I would have done differently would have been to make this a two day lesson because I think that it was a lot of social studies for one day. Other than that, I was so happy of how the lesson went!! |
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